Sensing means for perforated record cards



April 5, 1927.

R CARROLL sEN sINe mms FOR PERFORATED aEconv w s I Original Filed Wei/.18, i922 I-l i Patented Apr. 5, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,623,164 PATENT OFFICE.

FRED M. CARROLL, OF ENDICOTT, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE TABULATING MA- CHINE COMPANY,OF ENDICOTT, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SENSING MEANS FOR PERFORATED RECORD CARDS. o

OriginaLapplibation filed November 18, 1922, Serial No. 601,931. Divided and this application filed.

December 6, 1923.

The present invention is directed to the general end of providing means for the placing of a greater amount OfStzltlStlCfll or like data on a record without increasing the size of the record and to the provision of means for sensing or reading the same in a record card controlled apparatus.

Heretofore in machines of the Hollerith type, for example, it has been the practice to provide record cards with index po1nts thereon arranged in columns and with the index point positions all laterally spaced from each other and arranged in transverse rows.

According to the present invention a rec-- ord card is provided in which the index point positions of one column overlap the column containing the adjacent index po nt positions. In this Way a greater quantity of perforated data may be placed upon a record without increasing the size thereof or if it is desired to decrease the size of the record the existing amount of data may be retained or even increased.

The object of this invention resides in the provision of suitable sensing means'for deriving the data from a record card of the character just described.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan View of a record card having improved arrangen'ient of index point positions and perforations thereon.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of one form of sensing means for deriving the data from the perforated record cards.

Figure 3 is an elevation view of record sensing means shown in Fig. 2.

Figures 4 and 5 are similar views of a modified form of sensing means. i

In more detail the record card 10 is of a form commonlv used in this art and comprises a plurality of rows of index point designations 11. These index point designations are preferably printed upon the card and are arranged in a number of parallel vertical columns as shown. The index points are also arranged in transverse rows. Heretofore it has been the practice to place the index point positions of a given value in a single straight line. In order to bring these positions more closely together this would result in adjacent perforations overrunning each other or approaching so closely as to weaken the card. In order to overcome this Serial No. 678,898.

difficulty I have placed the index points of a glven value in two rowsso that the index point positions may be displaced vertically On account of this interstaggered arrangement of the perforatedpositions I prefer to use a novel form of sensing means which will now be-describe-d. Referring to Fig. 2, the record cards 10 are passed throughthe machine by the usual feeding rolls 13 past contact blocks 14, which in the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 are arranged in two rows and interstaggered relatively to'each other.

as shown in Fig. 3. Cooperating with these contact blocks are brush members 15 and 16 which are preferably of a blade type. The blade brushes 15v cooperate with one row of index point perforations and blade brushes 16 cooperate withv the adjacent inter-staggered row. The breadth and character of these blades is such that each blade can properly drop into its corresponding column of index point perforations. blade will not drop into the interstaggered perforation in the next adjacent column since the blade must ride over the material remaining between the perforations in said adjacent columns. For example, a brush which is adapted to cooperate with the perforation 12 will not cooperate With the perforations 17 in the adjacent columns since it must ride over the intervening material 18. In the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5 a single row of brushes 15 are provided and these brushes are arranged to be displaced both laterally and vertically when they are to cooperate with one or the other in staggered rows or columns of perforations. To effect a horizontal displacen'ient the brush mounting 20 is provided with a pin and slot support 21. To effect avertical displacement there is also provided a vertical adjusting screw 22.

1t is not essential here to describe the However, such pendin (r brush circuit arrangements. As herein shown there are individual contact blocks 14. for each column in the card. It is obvious that/the contact members may be made com-- men and circuit leads extended to individual insulated brushes.

This application is a division of my application,"Serial No. 601,931 filed November 18, 1922. I do not claim in the present application the novel card per se the other series, and a series of contact blocks for each series of sensing elements.

2. In a machine for sens ng perforated records, a plurality of series of contactblocks arranged one series in advaxiceof and staggered with reference to the blocks in the other series, anda plurality of sens-- ing elements for cooperation with said blocks.

3. Ina machine for sensing perforated records, a plurality of series of contact blocks arranged one series in advance of and ,in staggered relation to the blocks in another series, a'series of sensing elements for each series of contact blocks, said elements being arranged with the contact points of one seriesin advance of and in staggered relation to the contact points of another series, and means for feedin perforated record material between said iilocks and said contact oints.

4. n a machine for sensing perforated records, a plurality of groups of seusin elements arranged one group inadvancc o. and

staggered with reference to the elements of the other groups, and the elements of the several groups overlapping the elcn'ients of other groups and a series of contact blocks for each group of sensing elements.

5. In a machine for sensing perforated records, a plurality of groups of contact blocks arranged one group in advance of and staggered with reference to the blocks in the other groups and the blocks of the several groups overlapping the blocks of other groups and a plurality of sensing elements for cooperation with said blocks.

In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my signature. i

FRED M, CARROLL. 

